SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
—————OoOoOOoooeeeoe=e=*eeaeaaeaaaeeeeee 
Weratuer CONDITIONS. 
Hot, humid conditions are the best for the sugar-cane plant, and, . 
fortunately, these generally obtain during the period of the maximum 
growth of the crop in Queensland. The wet season is usually 
synonymous with the three hot summer months of January, February, 
and March. 
Although the weather is hot and humid during this period, the higher 
temperatures experienced in the dryer belts of Australia are not common. 
A temperature of 100 degrees is rarely recorded. It is unusual for 
the thermometer to show much above 90 degrees, even in the middle of 
summer. Indeed, during times of heavy rain, the weather becomes com- 
paratively cool, but as soon as the sun reappears, the atmosphere becomes 
. 
steamy and the growth of the cane is vigorously promoted. 
On the coast of Queensland, where sugar is grown, the greatest 
rainfalls occur where the mountain ranges come close into the coast. 
Where they are considerably distant, as at Bundaberg and Ayr, the 
lowest precipitations take place. Consequently, the greatest amount of 
rain falls at Babinda and Innisfail, where the lofty ranges of Bartle 
Frere and Bellenden Ker are not far from the seaboard. 
The following table shows the average annual rainfall in each of 
the sugar districts -— 
Average Annual '| Average Annuals 
District. Rainfall in Inches District. i Rainfall in Inches 
and Hundredths. ; and Hundredths. 
Mossman... a 82°91 Proserpine mt be, 76°96 
Cairns 23 Ss 90°49 Macka a i . 68°52 
Mulgrave .. BS 81-91 Bundaberg... is 44°40 
Babinda  ... Fi 165-00 Gin Gin el a 37°71 
Innisfail... Pe 149-20 - || Childers hh it 42:07 
Ingham * f 80°53 Maryborough .. rb 46°14 
Halifax be: AF 89°17 Pil alter miei es 38°04 
Ayr, te Sk: 44°48 Nambour .G ie 60°93 
Bowen - ay v7 40°60 || Beenleigh ma fs 48°87 
Houmiprry. 
The mean relative humidity or percentage of moisture in the air is 
a most important factor in the growth of cane. The table hereunder 
gives the percentage of relative humidity in the principal coastal towns 
in the sugar districts at 9 a.m. :— 
| Percentage | Percentage 
Place. of Place. of 
| Humidity. © Humidity.” 
Bundaberg e bet 69.0 Innisfail Ar ane 80:0 
Mackay a Roun dN) Cairns .. ay ee TR 
eae ee at. sy) SiGe y | 
596 
